Yellow 2X5J - First Dublin Med Gull in Portugal

It's not often someone admits to having a "favourite gull", but I am quite fond of Mediterranean Gulls. Perhaps it's because, although they're seen regularly here, they're still a bit of a novelty up here in NI.

Move south a bit to Dublin and they're much more common with large flocks often seen at Sandycove Strand.

Sean Kingston, along with a number of other ringers, has been colour-ringing Mediterranean Gulls around Dublin for a number of years and over the last three years, a total of 24 Med Gulls have been colour-ringed at Sandycove, including 13 in 2014.

Sean got in touch just before Christmas to let me know that one of the birds colour-ringed this year has been re-sighted in Portugal, the first time an "Irish" Med Gull has been seen there.

2X5J was ringed by Katie Manley in early September. It was re-sighted twice in mid-October and then on 21 December, it was photographed by Nelson Fonseca at Olhao Saltpans in the Algarve!

Photos by Nelson Fonseca

If you see any colour-ringed Mediterranean Gulls in the UK or Ireland, you can report them to Sean, the UK and Ireland Co-ordinator for colour-ringed Med Gulls at medgullring@gmail.com

Many thanks to Sean for passing on the information.